A FAMILY from Poole have raised over £35,000 in a year for a foundation set up in their mum’s memory.

Mandie Burkmar died aged 46 at Forest Holme Hospice in December 2011, leaving behind husband, Richard, and sons, Joe and Nick, after being diagnosed with lung cancer four years earlier.

In February 2013, the family told the Daily Echo about their plans to raise £50,000 for the Mandie Burkmar Foundation, which they are now over half-way towards.

All money raised for the foundation is then split between the Poole-based hospice and Cancer Research UK, with each charity being given £17,819 so far.

Joe, 26, said: “We started the fundraising in March 2013 with a charity ball at the Royal Bath Hotel, which raised £17,000 thanks to donations from friends and family.”

Elli Sydenham, 35, Joe’s cousin, said: “We just pulled in a lot of favours from people, who donated the hire of their boats and apartments, and we even had tickets for the Royal Ballet in London. I think we were just really driven to make a difference. We just couldn’t thank people enough.

“Mandie never wanted to stop her boys from doing anything, even when she was really ill.

“Forest Holme is an incredible place and at a time when you need your family around you, they were here for us.”

Joe added: “We also wanted to raise money for Cancer Research as mum was put on a trial drug, which extended her life by about two years, and we want other people to have that opportunity.

“As well as the charity ball, we got together a group of 10 people who did a lap of Dorset which involved cycling 50 miles over a weekend, which raised £3,000.”

Brighton Marathon, the Gold Coast Marathon in Australia, a golf day and a ladies’ night are just a few more of the events held in Mandie’s memory.

For more, search for Mandie Burkmar on Justgiving.com, go to Facebook.com/TheMandieBurkmarFoundation, or contact Forest Holme on 01202 670644.